


Something to Fall Back On

by threeturn



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Crack, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-22
Updated: 2014-05-22
Packaged: 2018-01-26 01:39:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1669967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/threeturn/pseuds/threeturn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's 2011. In an alternate universe where One Direction is struggling, Ben Winston offers the boys a different kind of opportunity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something to Fall Back On

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Запасной план](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3805636) by [AvaDay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvaDay/pseuds/AvaDay)



> Because of an [ask](http://valencing.tumblr.com/post/86457910862/listen-you-should-tell-us-more-about-that-secret) from [flowersmaywilt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowersmaywilt)! Thank you to [disarm_d](https://archiveofourown.org/users/disarm_d) and [sophieisgod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophieisgod) for their help.

"Bored," says Louis, throwing the ball up to the cheap plaster of the chalet ceiling, almost smashing the light. He lurches sideways on the bed to catch it, his elbow jabbing between Harry's naked shoulder blades. Harry rolls onto his side and pushes his sweaty hair off his face. Louis throws the ball again. "Bored, bored, _fucking_ bored."

The air con in their room is pathetic and no one is happy. Standing over by the window that won't open, Liam frowns, clenches and unclenches his fists. Zayn sees him make the decision with his whole face: _don't say anything, don't argue. Let Louis be._ It'll last a minute, Zayn thinks, and then he'll have to decide it all over again. Zayn closes his eyes and listens to Niall plucking at his guitar. Niall hasn't been complaining. Niall always seems to know when to check out.

"Bored," says Louis again, and this time the ball sails over to the bed Zayn and Niall are on and crashes into Niall's guitar.

Niall looks up then, shakes his head. Picks up his guitar and hunches over it. "I'll need this for the show tonight," he says to no one in particular.

"Opening for those dicks," says Louis. "Like anyone's even looking at us, like anyone's listening."

"They do too," says Liam, losing his struggle. "We have fans. We definitely…the seats are at least half full by the time we start our set."

Louis's eyes narrow. Zayn scoops up the ball and throws it back to the other bed to distract him. Harry manages to catch it. He holds it up triumphantly and says, "Hey, maybe Ben'll be there."

There's a silence. "That's great, Harry," says Niall at last, and Harry smiles at him, grateful. Ben was a photographer they'd met at the last real photo-shoot they'd had, back when it still seemed like One Direction could go places. He'd turned up again a few towns back and made his way backstage after the show.

"You're all so _lovely_ ," he'd said, looking mostly at Harry. "You lads ever thought of a music video?"

"Think about it a lot," Niall had said, shrugging.

"It's not like we've got a proper contract," Liam had explained. They just didn't have the money for anything like that.

"Ah," Ben had said, looking sad. "And I've got so many ideas, too." He'd gone to a few more of their shows after that. Usually he was in the front row snapping pictures. But Zayn doesn't think having one fan is a lot of consolation when they're playing shit venues for apathetic teens who can't even tell them apart and sleeping five-a-room in a decrepit holiday camp chalet.

Now Liam frowns. "Harry, isn't Mr Winston a professional photographer? Don't you think it would be nice if he could put his pictures online or something? We could use some actual promotion."

Harry thinks about this. "I’m sure he _wants_ to—"

"—take his pictures home and wank," Louis finishes.

"Nothing wrong with that," says Niall peaceably.

Liam hoists himself onto the windowsill. "I just want something to happen for us," he says.

Zayn nods. He always has this weird feeling, as if it wasn't ever meant to be like this. "We might hear from the label today. You never know."

That's when there's a knock at the door. All of them freeze. "We paid for the room already, right?" says Louis. "Liam, did you pay?"

"Of course I paid," says Liam. "It's probably a fan."

There's a pause, and then everyone breaks into hysterical laughter. "Payno!" shrieks Niall. "Hahahaha! A fan! You'll be the death of me!"

Liam shrugs, pleased with himself. "I had you for a moment there, didn't I?"

There's another, louder knock.

"Niall, get the door," says Louis. "Harry, cover yourself. It might be one of our mums."

Harry pulls the duvet up over his boxers and Niall puts his eye to the peephole. "It's Ben," he reports.

Harry pushes the duvet back off. Louis rolls his eyes. Niall opens the door.

"Hello, lads," says Ben. He squeezes Niall's upper arm and walks in. The chalet was already small and now with Ben there it's minuscule.

"Ben!" Harry yelps happily from the bed.

"Hi, sweetheart," says Ben, and puts his camera and his briefcase on the rickety desk which, other than the two beds, is the only furniture in the room.

"Welcome to the Waldorf," says Louis.

Liam gestures politely to the desk. "Have a seat, Mr Winston."

Ben sits down on Harry and Louis's bed. "This is a shame," he says. "You lads ought to be in a nice B&B at the least. Where do you all sleep?"

"We share," says Zayn.

"My," says Ben. "Who goes in which bed? I'm just trying to get a visual picture."

Liam clears his throat. "I'm sure we'll be booked into a B&B when we're playing a bigger city, like Bournemouth."

"That's right," says Niall. "You coming to the show tonight, Ben?"

"Wouldn't miss it," says Ben. "You lads really have something. You lads are _lovely_."

"We know," says Louis, patting Harry's stomach.

"Which is what I'm here to talk to you about today," says Ben. "What I've noticed, boys, is that due to absolutely no fault of your own, your tour doesn't seem to be exactly selling out."

Zayn and Liam exchange looks. "We're an opening band," Zayn says. "Not really down to us, is it?"

"I'm sure you're right," says Ben. "It's an unfair situation. That being said, I'm wondering if you lads might be interested in another sort of opportunity. Just until the public catches up with you."

Niall leans forward. Louis stops making faces. "What kind of opportunity?" says Harry. "Something on telly?"

Ben strokes his beard. "Not exactly. Something of a more private nature."

"Birthday parties," guesses Liam mournfully. "Weddings."

"Actually," says Ben, "singing wouldn't really be the focal purpose of the kind of opportunity I have in mind."

"We don't dance," Zayn says quickly. "We're just a boyband. Vocally and in a singing way."

"Exactly," says Ben. "I don't know if you're aware, but the whole 'boyband' thing has a particular appeal to a certain type of lady or gentleman."

Liam nods enthusiastically. "And we need to find them and reach out to them, so that they'll come to our shows!"

"I was thinking more the other way around," says Ben. "Each of you—individually, or perhaps at times in pairs—paying private visits to one or more interested persons." He reaches over to the desk for his briefcase.

"Like a singing telegram?" asks Niall.

Ben looks thoughtful. "You would allow certain—privileges—that singing telegrams usually do not. And reap a profit accordingly."

"Wait," says Harry slowly. "Wait, wait, wait…"

"I feel," says Ben, "and others of my acquaintance feel, that your talents are being underutilized in your present situation."

"Others of your acquaintance?" repeats Louis.

"Those who may have seen a few photographs, let's say." Ben taps his briefcase and smiles warmly.

Liam looks confused. "Would they like to hear a demo tape, maybe? We have a song we think would be amazing for a single. _You don't know you're beautiful,_ " he sings. " _That's what makes you beautiful."_

"Yeah, those lines still don't make any sense, Liam," says Louis.

Liam bristles, but Zayn cuts him off before that argument can go any further. "He's not trying to get us a recording contract, lads. He's trying to pimp us out."

"Clever lad," says Ben, unoffended. He takes some papers from his briefcase and shuffles them around in a business-like kind of way.

Harry's face breaks into a grin. "That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure! How interesting! Don't you think that's _interesting_ , Niall?"

"Legend," says Niall, reaching over the gap between the beds to fist-bump Harry. When he loses his balance, Zayn pulls him back up.

"What?" says Liam. "Hold on, what?"

"Okay, see here," says Louis. "I know we're not exactly the world's number one boyband, but we still have our self-respect."

"And we're gonna make it big," says Liam, "just wait. We're in talks with another label right now—"

Louis's phone rings before Liam can finish explaining. Louis makes a dive for it and the room goes silent. "Tommo here," he chirps brightly, but as he listens his face falls. Zayn winces in automatic sympathy. "Right," Louis says at last. "No, I understand…there can only be one boyband, right…I know we came in tenth, I was there…Sorry, didn't mean to be rude. Listen, just throwing this out there, what if we danced? …Oh. OK. Thank you very much." He ends the call and hurls the phone across the room.

"Oh, Louis," says Harry, wrapping his arms and legs around him.

"They said no," says Louis unnecessarily.

"So we have two more weeks of this tour…" says Zayn.

"And then nothing," Louis finishes.

Liam stares at Louis, his face white. Then he gets up and goes into the toilet. There's a loud crash, followed by some howling in falsetto. Then Liam comes out again. "I'm fine," he says. "Everything's cool. I'm grateful we've made it as far as we have. It's been great to know you all."

Harry stares at him. "No one said we're breaking up, Liam."

"I have to admit," says Ben, "you'd lose some appeal if you weren't a boyband anymore. Any bunch of fools can dress up in matching outfits and claim to be the next Princes and Rogues, but you lads are the genuine article."

Liam shakes his head. "Mr Winston, we are not going to prostitute ourselves. Thank you very much for the kind opportunity."

"But actually," says Niall slowly, "why not?"

"Why not?" Liam yelps. "WHY NOT?"

Zayn sighs. "C'mere, Liam. Come sit by me." Liam goes to him sulkily, picking at the plastic finish on his cheap digital watch.

Harry says, "It's a funny thing, I once dreamt about being a hooker, and it wasn't terrible. I went the client's house and then I went back home again, unless the client came to me, which was also fine, and the way we'd arrange it is for some reason I had a Blackberry—"

"Okay, sunshine," says Louis, "you can tell us later." He turns back to Ben. "So you think we could survive with your gig till we find a label?"

"Definitely," says Ben. "All high-level clients, very classy, very _discreet_ , your reputation won't suffer in the slightest."

"High-level clients…" says Liam. "I'm not saying yes, but by any chance would any of these clients be in the music industry?"

"You never know, do you?" says Ben vaguely. "Now, let's talk about what you're willing to do. I assume none of you is particularly experienced with men."

Louis snorts.

"There's no need for embarrassment," says Ben. "I mean, it's obvious from the way you lot barely interact onstage that you're uncomfortable with same-gender contact. Of course it's understandable, but in my field we simply can't have it."

"Actually, Ben—" Niall starts.

Ben nods at him reassuringly and keeps talking. "So we just need to make sure that you're prepared to work your very hardest and keep our clients satisfied."

"Oh my god," says Liam. "He thinks we wouldn't know what to do."

"The good news is that inexperience is absolutely a solvable problem," Ben says, rolling up his sleeves. "I don't blame you for being put off at first, you're feeling quite anxious after all, but with a little practice—"

Zayn can feel Liam tensing up next to him and puts a placating hand on his thigh. "Liam was upset at the insult to his _dignity_ ," he explains. "It wasn't gay panic."

"Not our Payno," says Niall, chortling.

"I don't understand," says Ben.

Zayn sighs. "We're actually very comfortable with each other. If you know what I mean."

"But onstage you're a yard apart at all times. I thought—"

"In concerts we don't touch each other because we were advised it might upset potential fans," Liam interrupts. "Offstage is different."

"You mean—"

Louis nods. "It's _boring_ on the road, innit? And it's not like we've got groupies. Liam, why don't you come over here and suck my dick?"

"I don't feel like getting up," says Liam. "Why don't _you_ come over here and suck _my_ dick?"

"Because I sucked your dick _last_ time," says Louis, outraged.

"Fucking hell, you two," says Zayn. "Enough bickering."

Ben's staring at them, eyes wide. Zayn shrugs. "Been in a band together for months and they still don't get along. Point is, though, they know what to do."

Niall strums his guitar a few times, very loudly. "You know who _really_ knows what to do?"

"Harry," Ben guesses weakly.

"Harry? Nah, he's a virgin." Niall grins. "I was talking about _me_ , Ben. I'm your man. You'll see." 

Liam claps Niall on the back in emphatic agreement, but Ben's already turning to Harry and looking his almost-naked body up and down. "A virgin," he repeats, not at all unhappily. "Sorry, Harry, but we'll need to do something about that."

Harry pulls the duvet up over him a bit more and pouts. He's let Zayn kiss that quivering bottom lip before, but never anything more. "I just wanted my first time to be special."

" _I'll_ make it special," say Niall, Liam, and Louis, all at the same time. Zayn doesn't say anything. He just looks, until Harry looks back.

Ben takes Harry's wrist, gently but firmly. " _We'll_ make it special," he says.


End file.
